Downtown Statesville Development Corporation (DSDC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization charged with administering the Main Street program for Statesville and whose mission is to champion, promote and lead Downtown Statesville as the economic, social and cultural engine in the region. This is achieved in collaboration with public-private partners working together to enhance the appearance, desirability, and vitality of downtown.
DSDC has 3 main committees and several sub-committees that are comprised of volunteers from the community. These are Promotions, Design, and Economic Vitality. We also have numerous sub-committees for individual events.
If you are interested in joining one or more of these committees, please fill out the following application.
Overview of DSDC Committees
Promotions Committee – Meets the first Wednesday each month at 8:30 am at the DSDC Office
Promotion takes many forms, but the goal is to create a positive image that will rekindle community pride and improve consumer and investor confidence in our commercial district. Advertising, retail promotions, special events and marketing campaigns help sell the image and promise of Main Street to the community and surrounding region. Promotion communicates our commercial district's unique characteristics, business establishments and activities to shoppers, investors, potential business and property owners and visitors. There are three primary areas of work for Promotion: Image Building Campaigns, Retail Promotion and Special Event Development. Some of the projects or areas we work on include building our online presence, advertising for downtown and a variety of special events including arts crawls, Wine Walk, Hops and Harmony, and Ghost Tours.
Promotion Sub-Committees
Statesville Pumpkin Fest Committee – Meet Monthly beginning in March
Plan and execute this community festival which occurs annually the First Saturday in November.
Christmas Committee – Meet Monthly beginning in April
Plan and execute Holiday Shop and Stroll, Christmas Carriage Rides, Christmas Tree Lighting, etc.
Friday After Five Committee – TBD
Plan and execute the Friday After Five Summer Concerts on various Friday evenings throughout the season.
Design Committee – Meets the first Thursday each month at 3:00 pm at The 220 Café
Design means getting Main Street into top physical shape and creating a safe, inviting environment for shoppers, workers and visitors. It takes advantage of the visual opportunities inherent in a commercial district by directing attention to all of its physical elements: public and private buildings, storefronts, signs, public spaces, parking areas, street furniture, public art, landscaping, merchandising, window displays and promotional materials. An appealing atmosphere, created through attention to all of these visual elements, conveys a positive message about the commercial district and what it has to offer. Design activities also include instilling good maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the district's physical appearance through the rehabilitation of historic buildings, encouraging appropriate new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, educating business and property owners about design quality and long-term planning. There are five basic areas of focus for Design: Buildings, Displays Streetscapes, Signage, Public Spaces and right of ways and parking. Some of the projects or areas we work on include streetscape improvements, wayfinding signage, parking issues and solutions, handle the Christmas decorations and American Flag installations, graffiti removal program, façade grant program, etc.
Economic Vitality Committee - Meets the second Tuesday each month at 11:00 am at the DSDC Office
Overview: Economic restructuring strengthens your community's existing economic assets while diversifying its economic base. This is accomplished by retaining and expanding successful businesses to provide a balanced commercial mix, sharpening the competitiveness and merchandising skills of business owners and attracting new businesses that the market can support. Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the district. The goal is to build a commercial district that responds to the needs of today's consumers. There are five basic areas of work for Economic Restructuring: Understanding Current Economic Conditions, Developing Financial Incentives & Capital for Building Rehabilitations & Business Development, Communicate Market Opportunities. Some of the projects or areas we work on include business and developer recruitment, available property list, working with the city to create incentives.
Organization
Organization is the guiding force behind the individual NC Main Street organizations. In the case of DSDC, it is our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors consists of 15-20 members who meet monthly in order to decide the direction in which the staff and committees should be working. Each member of the board is expected to participate in one of the Committees so that those who are doing the work of DSDC are those who intimately know what its determined needs and goals are. According to the National Main Street Center, the definition of Organization as it relates to Main Street is “Building human and financial resources, through public/private partnerships to achieve a common vision.” The major responsibilities of Organization are managing the staff and volunteers by recruiting people, supervising them and rewarding good work; promoting the program to downtown interests and the public, and managing the finances by developing good accounting procedures.
